the immigrant

a long ways from home
a woman
who looks like me
on the corner
of the street
like she has nowhere else to be
leaning against a pole
smoking her cigarette
almond eyes
black hair pulled up
petite
life has hardened her beauty
carelessly
the bathrobe draped
over her slim frame
her lips painted
a plastic pink
that doesn’t match her skin
our eyes meet
the slight recognition
and wonder
vast distances
and very different stories
of how we came to be
on this same corner
here
as immigrants
seeking the same privileges
in the land of the white man
i can tell
she still has her pride
the way she keeps
her chin lifted
what did it take
for her to get this far?
i shudder
and my heart aches
this land of opportunity
of hopes
and dreams
and thundering
realities
my foot eases off the brake
i’ve paused too long at this stop
she looks the other way
and takes a long drag
the smoke wraps around her
like a shroud
our worlds passing
like ships in the night.